Diverse Mixture Research Articles

Intelligent Devices Harnessing Underwater Superoleophobic and Underoil Superhydrophobic Quartz Sands for the Separation of Diverse Stratified and Emulsified Water-Oil Mixtures.

To achieve the green, sustainable, and controllable recovery of oil-water resources and to address the limited functionality of single superwet materials in oil-water separation, this study reports a multifunctional oil-water separation strategy by compositing the underwater superoleophobic and underoil superhydrophobic materials (HS). The underwater superoleophobic quartz sands with an oil contact angle of 152.68° were prepared by adjusting the particle size. This material demonstrated a water flux of 4688 L m-2 h-1 and a low-density oil and water mixture separation efficiency of 98.6%, which remained above 97.9% over 50 cycles. It was effective in separating oil-in-water emulsions with a separation efficiency of >99%. For HS, quartz sands were modified with dodecyltrimethoxysilane. The optimized HS-4 exhibited superhydrophobic properties with a water contact angle of 157.06°. It achieved an oil flux of 5775 L m-2 h-1 and a water and dichloromethane mixture separation efficiency of 98.4%. Additionally, they exhibited significant potential in the separation of water-in-oil emulsions. Furthermore, by placing the underwater superoleophobic and underoil superhydrophobic units at the bottom of the filter, we achieved cyclic separation of high-density oil and water mixtures, low-density oil and water mixtures, water-in-oil emulsions, and oil-in-water emulsions. The separation efficiency consistently exceeded 96.5% over 10 cycles. In addition, the oil-water separation mechanism of underwater oleophobic and underoil hydrophobic materials was demonstrated by the relative concentration distribution of water and oil with molecular dynamics simulations. This intelligent oil-water separation method marks a significant advancement in the sustainable separation of diverse oil-water mixtures.

Simultaneous geraniol and citronellol transesterification using Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase for the production of fragrance and flavour esters: A kinetic study

This study aims to develop, for the very first time, a kinetic model for the simultaneous transesterification of geraniol and citronellol using Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase to produce their respective esters. This allows us to test the feasibility of the bioprocess and comprehend the enzyme behaviour, fine-tune process efficiency, and predict process performance. Geranyl and citronellyl esters are key ingredients in fragrance and flavour formulations in the food sector, as well as bioactive compounds for pest and insect repellents in the agricultural sector. Unlocking a greener and sustainable production of these terpene esters directly from plant-derived essential oil is crucial to meet the 2050 net zero targets to produce bio-based chemicals. The simultaneous transesterification of geraniol and citronellol in a batch reactor successfully achieved conversions of 66 % for citronellol and 94 % for geraniol within 5 h. Key optimum conditions were 1:8 molar ratio (geraniol:vinyl acetate), an enzyme loading of 10 wt % of geraniol, temperature of 40 °C, and a stirring speed of 250 RPM. The results indicated that simultaneous transesterification followed a ternary complex mechanism with competitive inhibition by alcohol. Initial testing of rose geranium oil under optimised conditions yielded 32 % citronellol and 50 % geraniol conversion after 30 h. Overall, this study shows promise as a green pathway utilising enzyme catalysis to selectively produce esters from diverse terpene mixtures and can be extended to terpene alcohols derived from flower essential oils.

Predicting the shear modulus and damping ratio of soils using machine learning models

In geotechnical engineering, the accurate estimation of fundamental soil properties, such as the shear modulus ratio (G/G max) and damping ratio (D), is crucial to design and analyze various structures subjected to dynamic loads. This study presents a comprehensive investigation on harnessing the power of machine learning techniques to precisely predict G/G max and D of granular soils. Using an extensive dataset gathered from cyclic triaxial and resonant column tests on diverse mixtures of sand and gravel, combined with previous research findings, a series of advanced machine learning algorithms including shallow neural networks, support vector regression, gradient boosting regression, and deep feed forward neural network (DFFNN) were developed. The proposed models elucidate various influential parameters, including the grading characteristics, void ratio, confining pressure, consolidation stress ratio, and specimen preparation techniques. The superiority of the DFFNN model in terms of accuracy and predictive performance was demonstrated through rigorous evaluation and comparison. This study contributes to a better understanding of soil behavior under dynamic conditions. It also provides a robust framework to employ machine learning in predicting G/G max and D of granular soils, thereby enhancing the efficiency and reliability of geotechnical designs and construction practices.

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Glycerol Electrolyzer with Graphite Anode and Cathode Produces Carbonyl Compounds and Hydrogen: Background Electrocatalysis of a "Nonparticipating" Current Collector.

This study unveils a novel role of bare graphite as a catalyst in glycerol electrooxidation and hydrogen evolution reactions, challenging the prevailing notion that current collectors employed in electrolyzers are inert. Half-cell experiments elucidate the feasibility of glycerol oxidation and hydrogen production on bulk graphite electrodes at potentials exceeding 1.7 V. The investigation of varying glycerol concentrations (0.05 to 1.5 mol L-1) highlights a concentration-dependent competition between glycerol electrooxidation and oxygen evolution reactions. Employing an H-type glycerol electrolyzer, polarization curves reveal significant activation polarization attributed to the low electroactivity of the anode. Glycerol electrolysis at different concentrations yields diverse product mixtures, including formate, glycolate, glycerate, and lactate at the anode, with concurrent hydrogen generation at the cathode. The anolyte composition changes with glycerol concentration, resulting in less-oxidized compounds at higher concentrations and more oxidized compounds at lower concentrations. The cell voltage also influences the product formation selectivity, with an increased voltage favoring more oxidized compounds. The glycerol concentration also affects hydrogen production, with lower concentrations yielding higher hydrogen amounts, peaking at 3.5 V for 0.05 mol L-1. This model quantitatively illustrates graphite's contribution to current and product generation in glycerol electrolyzers, emphasizing the significance of background current and products originating from current collectors if in contact with the reactants. These results have an impact on the efficiency of the electrolyzer and raise questions regarding possible extra non-noble "nonparticipating" current collectors that could affect overall performance. This research expands our understanding of electrocatalysis on graphite surfaces with potential applications in optimizing electrolyzer configurations for enhanced efficiency and product selectivity.

Silver Nanoparticles as Catalysts of Foeniculum vulgare L. Callus Formation and Its Content of Vitamins and some Fatty Acids.

Plants are a precious resource of a wide range of secondary metabolites, that are benefitted as flavours, pharmaceuticals, colours, colognes, food additives and also biopesticides. The current study tested the impact of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on Foeniculum vulgare. Foeniculum vulgare seeds were surface sterilized, Vital leaf pieces are grown on MS media including diverse mixtures of plant growth regulators, the special effects of AgNPs plus PGRs on callus propagation were evaluated, and separated compounds of fatty acid and vitamins were identified. Outcomes revealed that several intensities of AgNPs expressively influenced the callus propagation and significantly raised the callus biomass with combination including the plant growth regulators. Highest fresh (7.32 g.L-1) biomass addition of callus was remarked on the media elevated in vitro at 20 ppm AgNPs combined with (2 mg.L-1 2,4-D) and results noted that the callus appeared compact and greenish in colour with 40 ppm AgNPs in combination with (2 mg.L-1 2,4-D). The results elucidated the amplification of the value of both fatty acids (stearic acid (47.85 %), oleic acid (189.28 %), Linoleic (6.34 %) and Linolenic (0.83 %)), and vitamins (Vitamin E (8.99 U.mg-1) and vitamin A (27.19 U.mg-1) by using MS + 2,4-D (2 mg.L-1) + AgNPs (20ppm). Application of a combination of AgNPs along with PGRs led to callus proliferation in Foeniculum vulgare L. In vitro. But, the unaccompanied use of AgNPs was originate inductive in the biosynthesis of greater quantities of special fatty acids and vitamin metabolites.

Interpreting hourly mass concentrations of PM2.5 chemical components with an optimal deep-learning model

PM2.5 constitutes a complex and diverse mixture that significantly impacts the environment, human health, and climate change. However, existing observation and numerical simulation techniques have limitations, such as a lack of data, high acquisition costs, and multiple uncertainties. These limitations hinder the acquisition of comprehensive information on PM2.5 chemical composition and effectively implement refined air pollution protection and control strategies. In this study, we developed an optimal deep learning model to acquire hourly mass concentrations of key PM2.5 chemical components without complex chemical analysis. The model was trained using a randomly partitioned multivariate dataset arranged in chronological order, including atmospheric state indicators, which previous studies did not consider. Our results showed that the correlation coefficients of key chemical components were no less than 0.96, and the root mean square errors ranged from 0.20 to 2.11 µg/m3 for the entire process (training and testing combined). The model accurately captured the temporal characteristics of key chemical components, outperforming typical machine-learning models, previous studies, and global reanalysis datasets (such as Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) and Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service ReAnalysis (CAMSRA)). We also quantified the feature importance using the random forest model, which showed that PM2.5, PM1, visibility, and temperature were the most influential variables for key chemical components. In conclusion, this study presents a practical approach to accurately obtain chemical composition information that can contribute to filling missing data, improved air pollution monitoring and source identification. This approach has the potential to enhance air pollution control strategies and promote public health and environmental sustainability.

Novel multi-scale experimental approach and deep learning model to optimize capillary pressure evolution in early age concrete

Early-age shrinkage of concrete can initiate pre-mature cracking, which can compromise the durability of concrete structures. Monitoring capillary pressure, the leading cause of concrete shrinkage, and understanding its evolution is crucial for the performance-based design of concrete, particularly at early-stages when it is more prone to cracking. This study deploys an innovative multi-scale experimental program using high-capacity tensiometers to monitor the capillary pressure up to 2000 kPa. This allowed investigating the effects of key design parameters, including the water-to-cement ratio, GGBS, SRA, and measurement depth, on the capillary pressure evolution in concrete. A new robust deep neural network model was developed to conduct extensive numerical experiments to predict the capillary pressure evolution of diverse mixtures. The net effect of multi-parameters on the capillary pressure can be investigated with this model, providing insights into the optimum design of more durable concrete mixtures with the lowest capillary pressure evolution, and guiding the implementation of appropriate cost-effective shrinkage-mitigating strategies.

Development of a Follow-Up Measure to Ensure Complete Screening for Colorectal Cancer

The current quality performance measure for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is limited to initial screening. Despite low rates, there is no measure for appropriate follow-up with colonoscopy after receipt of an abnormal result of a stool-based screening test (SBT) for CRC. A quality performance measure is needed. To develop and test a quality performance measure for follow-up colonoscopy within 6 months of an abnormal result of an SBT for CRC. This retrospective quality improvement study examined data from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020, with 2018 plus 6 months of follow-up as the primary measurement period to verify performance rates, specify a potential measure, and test for validity, reliability, and feasibility. The Optum Labs Data Warehouse (OLDW), a deidentified database of health care claims and clinical data, was accessed. The OLDW contains longitudinal health information on enrollees and patients, representing a diverse mixture of ages and geographic regions across the US. For the database study, adults from 38 health care organizations (HCOs) aged 50 to 75 years who completed an initial CRC SBT with an abnormal result were observed to determine follow-up colonoscopy rates within 6 months. Rates were stratified by race, ethnicity, sex, insurance, and test modality. Three HCOs participated in the feasibility field testing. Data were analyzed from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023. The primary outcome consisted of follow-up colonoscopy rates following an abnormal SBT result for CRC. Reliability statistics were also calculated across HCOs, race, ethnicity, and measurement year. Among 20 581 adults (48.6% men and 51.4% women; 307 [1.5%] Asian, 492 [7.2%] Black, 644 [3.1%] Hispanic, and 17 705 [86.0%] White; mean [SD] age, 63.6 [7.1] years) in 38 health systems, 47.9% had a follow-up colonoscopy following an abnormal SBT result for CRC within 6 months. There was significant variation between HCOs. Notably, significantly fewer Black patients (37.1% [95% CI, 34.6%-39.5%]) and patients with Medicare (49.2% [95% CI, 47.7%-50.6%]) or Medicaid (39.2% [95% CI, 36.3%-42.1%]) insurance received a follow-up colonoscopy. A quality performance measure that tracks rates of follow-up within 6 months of an abnormal SBT result was observed to be feasible, valid, and reliable, with a median reliability statistic between HCOs of 94.5% (range, 74.3%-99.7%). The findings of this observational study of 20 581 adults suggest that a measure of follow-up colonoscopy within defined periods after an abnormal result of an SBT test for CRC is warranted based on low current performance rates and would be feasible to collect by health systems and produce valid, reliable results.

Experimental investigation on rheological behavior of dry granular mixtures based on direct measurement of basal friction

Geophysical flows, characterized by diverse particle-size mixtures, pose challenges for hazard risk assessment due to their anomalous fluidity and rheological behavior. This study investigates the rheological behavior of dry granular mixture flow in a flume setup using particle image velocimetry and triaxial force measurement. Key findings include a power-law relationship between the inertia value and the internal friction coefficient, affirming the applicability of the monodisperse friction model in mixed particle-size scenarios. A strong positive correlation is identified between the effective basal friction coefficient and internal friction coefficient, suggesting an influence of internal frictional properties on basal friction for granular flows on a flat surface. Additionally, positive correlations are observed between normalized stress fluctuation and both internal friction coefficient and inertia number, linking basal stress fluctuations to variations in internal frictional characteristics. These insights enhance our understanding of granular material dynamics, holding potential implications for geological disaster risk assessment.

The Potential of Cold Plasma-Based Seed Treatments in Legume–Rhizobia Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation: A Review

The use of cold plasma (CP) seed treatment is an emerging agricultural technology that exhibits the potential to enhance nodulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) in legumes. CP is composed of a diverse mixture of excited atoms, molecules, ions, and radicals that have the potential to affect the physical properties of the seed and influence gene expressions that could have a lasting impact on the nodulation, SNF, growth, and yield of legumes. The direct participation of the CP in the nodulation process and its correlation with the escalation of nodules and SNF is still not fully understood. This review discussed four areas in the nodulation and SNF process that can directly or indirectly affect CP seed treatments: root–rhizobia signal exchange pathways, root/shoot growth and development, phytohormone production, and the nitrogen fixation process. We also discuss the potential challenges and future research requirements associated with plasma technology to enhance SNF in legumes.

An efficient solution based on the synergistic effects of nickel foam in NiFe-LDH nanosheets for oil/water separation

Efficient oil-water separation has always been a research hotspot in the field of environmental studies. Employing a one-step hydrothermal approach, NiFe-layered double hydroxides (LDH) nanosheets were synthesized on nickel foam substrates. The resulting NiFe-LDH/NF membrane exhibited rejection rates exceeding 99% across six diverse oil-water mixtures, concurrently demonstrating a remarkable ultra-high flux of 1.4 × 106 L·m−2·h−1. This flux value significantly surpasses those documented in existing literature, maintaining stable performance over 1000 manual filtration cycles. These breakthroughs stem from the synergistic interplay among the three-dimensional channels of the nickel foam, the nanosheets, and the hydration layer. By leveraging the pore size of the foam to enhance the functionality of the hydration layer, the conventional trade-off between permeability and selectivity was transformed into a balanced force relationship between the hydration layer and the oil phase. The operational and failure mechanisms of the hydration layer were examined using the prepared NiFe-LDH/NF membrane, validating the correlation between oil phase viscosity and density with hydration layer rupture. Additionally, an extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory was employed to investigate changes in interaction energy, further reinforcing the study's findings. This research contributes novel insights and assistance to the comprehension and application of hydration layers in other membrane studies dedicated to oil-water separation.

Exploring the impact of culture media on life history characteristics of the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae)

Insects, particularly house fly pupae (M. domestica L.), are increasingly promoted as a rich and sustainable protein source, presenting a practical solution for organic waste management. These insects possess the capability to transform animal waste into valuable biomass, underscoring the necessity to evaluate housefly larval growth on diverse waste mixtures. The primary objective was to comprehend how different culture media influence the life history traits of this species. To address this, the research aimed to assess the growth and development performance of housefly larvae reared on various waste mixtures. Adult house flies (M. domestica) were sourced from meat and fish markets in Rajshahi city, Bangladesh, employing systematic sampling from different market sections for a representative selection. Experimental diets were formulated with combinations of cattle blood, cattle manure, rice bran, wheat bran, and kitchen waste, categorized into Diet-A (kitchen waste:cattle manure:wheat bran), Diet-B (cattle blood:rice bran), Diet-C (cattle manure:wheat bran), and Diet-D (cattle blood:kitchen waste:rice bran). Additionally, a control group comprised a mixture of waste materials, including yeast, egg white, milk powder, and wheat bran. The findings revealed that larvae, pupae, and adults reared on Diet-B, incorporating cattle blood and rice bran, demonstrated increased length compared to other diets. This varied diet also produced the heaviest larvae, pupae, and adults, exhibiting the highest morphometric parameters. The moisture content of pupae varied across the different diets, ranging from 53.23±0.17 % to 65.47±1.32 %. The pupae reared on Diet-B had the highest levels of crude protein (53.44±0.05 %, p < 0.05), while those reared on Diet-C had the highest levels of fat (18.56±0.05 %, p < 0.05 except for diet A). The findings demonstrate that housefly larvae can be reared on diets containing rice bran and cattle blood, which have different nutritional profiles and biological capacities. However, the ideal rearing strategy should depend on how M. domestica will be utilized in the future. The study highlights insects, especially housefly pupae, as a sustainable protein source and an organic waste management solution. Therefore, the results of this study contribute to the broader understanding of Musca domestica and offer practical implications for both scientific research and pest management practices.

Cover crops improve soil structure and change organic carbon distribution in macroaggregate fractions

Abstract. Soil structure is sensitive to intensive soil management. It can be ameliorated by a reduction in soil cultivation and stimulation of plant and microbial mediators for aggregate formation, with the latter being a prerequisite and measure for soil quality. Cover crops (CCs) are part of an integrated approach to stabilize or improve soil quality. Thereby, the incorporation of diverse CC mixtures is hypothesized to increase the positive effects of CC applications. This study entailed an investigation of the legacy effect of CCs on soil aggregates after three crop rotations in the second main crop (winter wheat) after the last CC treatment. Four CCs (mustard, phacelia, clover, and oat) cultivated in pure stands and with a fallow treatment were compared to a mixture of the four CC species (Mix4) and a highly diverse 12-plant-species mixture (Mix12) in a long-term field experiment in Germany. The organic carbon (OC) distribution within macroaggregate fractions (16–8, 8–4, 4–2, 2–1, and &lt;1 mm) and their aggregate stability were measured by dry- and wet-sieving methods, and the mean weight diameter (MWD) was calculated from water-stable aggregates. The results showed that, compared to the fallow, all CCs increased the MWD between 10 % and 19 % in soil under the following main crop. The average MWD increase over the fallow was slightly higher for CC mixtures (16 %) than for single CCs (12 %). Most of the OC (67.9 % on average) was stored in the &lt;1 mm aggregate fraction, highest in the topsoil and decreasing with soil depth. The intermediate fractions (8–4 mm, 4–2 mm, 2–1 mm) stored 8.5 %, 10.5 %, and 11.0 % of the total OC, while 2.1 % was stored in the 16–8 mm fraction. Higher MWD improvement at the 20–30 cm depth also indicates additional benefits from a reduction in the cultivation depth. Structural equation modelling (SEM) suggests that single CCs were more likely to increase OC storage in small macroaggregates &lt;1 mm, while CC mixtures were more likely to increase OC in the largest fraction (8–16 mm). Different individual CC species or mixtures exhibited varying involvement in the formation of different aggregate fractions. We provide evidence that litter quality, root morphology, and rhizosphere input, which affect microbial mediators of aggregate formation, might be the main reasons for the observed differences between CC treatments. Cover crops are valuable multifunctional tools for sustainable soil management. Here, we showed that they contribute to structure amelioration in arable soils. Increasing the functional diversity of plant species in CC mixtures could be a strategy to further enhance the positive effects of CCs in agroecosystems.

Pulse feeding and pulse growth: a highly adaptive strategy of heterotrophic dinoflagellates Oxyrrhis marina

Pulse feeding and growth of the Black Sea strain of dinof lagellates Oxyrrhis marina (Dujardin, 1841) (OXY–IBSS), equivalent spherical diameter (ESD) (23.5 ± 3.1 mm) have been studied under experimental conditions simulating phytoplankton blooms. Microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum (P, ESD 3.4 ±0.3 mm), Isochrysis galbana (I, ESD 3.7 ± 0.4 mm), Tetraselmis suecica (T, ESD 6.1 ± 0.9 mm), and Rhodomonas salina (R, 7.4 ± 0.7 µm) were used as food objects in a one-component and three-component suspensions. Microalgae concentrations (~106 cells/mL for T and R; up to ~4 × 106 cells/mL for P and I) were chosen to ensure their equal total carbon biomass ~0.02 mg C/mL in the food mixtures at the beginning of the experiment. Under ad libitum conditions, the maximum clearance rates of the OXY–IBSS reached 0.1–0.5 mL ind./day, and the grazing rate of microalgae was 34–44 cells/(ind h) for P and I, and 2–11 cells/(ind. h) for R and T, respectively. The grazing rate of microalgae in carbon units was significantly higher when feeding on I (3.9 ng C/(ind. day)) and significantly less when fed with a mixture of microalgae TRP (1.5 ng C/(ind. day)). Maximum abundance of OXY–IBSS, achieved within 3 or 4 days (by the time the microalgae concentration decreased below threshold), varied from 19 × 103 ind./mL (P) to 43 × 103 ind./mL (I). In the absence of food, dinof lagellates O. marina turned to cannibalism, and within 4 days the oscillating f luctuations (within 50%) in their number took place. Although the specific population growth rate (m, day-1) of OXY–IBSS was higher when feeding on small cells (~2 days–1 on I), the gross growth efficiency (GGE) of OXY–IBSS was significantly higher when fed on large (T and R) microalgae (26–29% vs. 14–15%). At lower daily rations (DRs) when fed with the mixture TRP, the GGE of OXY–IBSS was significantly higher (41%) when compared to other nutritional conditions. The feeding strategy of opportunistic predator O. marina on diverse (in terms of size and chemotaxonomic characteristics) mixtures of prey lay in a f lexible choice between high specific population growth rate, or high gross growth efficiency, that obviously gives the populations of this species the advantages over other protists under conditions of the pulsed phytoplankton blooms.

Role of Street trees in Urban Landscape: A Resource Audit

Street trees first considered as an ornamentation of the city landscape while brings unique identity to the city. Sri Lanka being a bio diversity hotspot large variety of trees and shrubs were available and used as part of urban landscape ornamentation. Choice of street trees based on agroclimatic zone, cultural identities, characteristics and multipurpose nature of the species. Main focus of study was to explore the role of street trees in ornamentation of cities and identify uniqueness brought to the city landscape, find out ecosystem services provided by the street trees and find out socially, culturally, economically and environmentally suitable trees species for cities located in different agroclimatic zones of Sri Lanka. Case study approach was instrumental for this study. Main data collection tools were field observations, in-depth interviews with city dwellers (45), visitors (35), officers of municipal council and urban development authority (10) and scientists (3) and policy makers (3) and maps of the cities considered for the study. Present study based on the street tree profile of 5 main cities (Colombo, Galle, Matara, Anuradhapura and Kandy), town (Bandarawela, Kaluthara, Hambantota, Rathnapura, Peradeniya and Batticaloa) and small town (Suriyawewa, Ambalongoda, Bandaragama, Mawenella, Aluthgama and Mirissa). Street trees of the main cities were ornamented by culturally imported tree species while street of the town areas was appeared with diverse mixture of trees. In Contrast economically importuned trees were common in small towns. Typology of street trees were developed using seven dimensions; social benefits, functional properties, resistant to urban environment, environmental constraints, cultural constraints and limitation constraints. 6 species were identified as the most suitable for street posadas among 15 species found in street trees. Street trees played multifunctional role in urban landscape other than its themed ornamentation role. &#x0D; Keywords: Ecosystem services, Street, trees, Urban landscape

Experimental investigation on I-II mixed mode fracture of hot mix asphalt using double-edge notched Brazilian disk test

The I-II mixed mode fracture is a typical failure pattern observed in asphalt pavement. In this study, the fracture behavior under I-II mixed mode of three diverse asphalt mixtures was scrutinized. The investigation involved performing double-edge notched Brazilian disk (DNBD) tests at two different temperatures: −10 °C and 25 °C. DNBD specimens were prepared with two notch lengths (10 mm and 20 mm) and seven notch angles, including 0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°, and 90°. Stress intensity factor (KIC and KIIC), equivalent stress intensity factor (K*IC and K*IIC), and fracture energy were used to characterize the fracture behaviors. The findings suggest that the generation of mixed-mode fractures can be manipulated through variations in notch length and angle. An increase in notch angle shifted the fracture behavior towards a more mode I-dominant pattern, while elongating the notch length amplified the significance of mode II fracture contributions to the overall fracture process. The influence of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) on the fracture performance of asphalt mixtures exhibited variation across the temperatures ranging from −10 °C to 25 °C. At −10 °C, mixture C, which contained an SBS-modified binder, demonstrated the most robust fracture performance, as evidenced by higher values of KIC and KIIC. This was succeeded by mixture B that used a #70 binder, with mixture A incorporating RAP trailing behind. Conversely, at 25 °C, the presence of RAP contributed to achieving the highest indices of K*IC and K*IIC, surpassing even the performance of mixture C with its SBS-modified binder, followed by mixture B with its #70 binder. For specimens with identical notch lengths and angles, the stress intensity factors recorded at −10 °C were substantially higher compared to those at 25 °C. This observation suggests that fracture resistance diminishes as temperature rises. Furthermore, an increase in notch angle correlated with a reduction in fracture energy at −10 °C, whereas at 25 °C, the notch angle’s influence on fracture energy appeared to be negligible. When examining the performance at −10 °C, mixture C exhibited the highest fracture energy, with mixtures B and A following in descending order. In contrast, at 25 °C, mixture A outperformed mixtures C and B in terms of fracture resistance, as gauged by fracture energy. Notably, the effect of mixture type on fracture energy was consistent with the effect of mixture type on stress intensity factor.

Chemical kinetic model of cross-reactions between toluene reference fuel and tetrahydrofuran

A chemical kinetic model was developed for a multicomponent gasoline surrogate consisting of Tetrahydrofuran (THF), iso-octane, n-heptane, and toluene, covering some cross-reactions. The mechanism included 1954 species and 7908 reactions. It was verified that the outcomes agreed with the experimental observations of each pure component and its diverse mixtures. The surrogates perform better in forecasting experimental values due to the THF. The impact of cross-reactions was discussed about the ignition delays. The research found two cross-reactions, one between alkyl peroxyl radicals and pure components and one between benzyl peroxyl radicals and pure components (Types 2 and 3, respectively). Of these, Type 2 affected deceleration, and Type 3 on acceleration. Cross-reactions could increase the sensitivity coefficient for OH sensitivity analysis, promoting CH3 and O2 to produce HCHO. Combined with PSR species profiles, olefins, CO, and HCHO were the main products of oxidation. However, SENKIN and PREMIX simulations did not find the effect of cross-reactions within the intermediates.

A score and nine years of irbesartan

Irbesartan exists as tautomers A and B in diverse solvent mixtures. Homogeneous nucleation gives (pseudo)polymorphs with layer-wise or columnar growth. The desmotropes present different habits, thermal expansions, stabilities and phase transitions.

Investigation for optimal hybrid concrete blended with polypropylene and steel fiber to evaluate structural performance

In recent times, there has been a significant surge in interest regarding the usage of different materials to strengthen concrete. The capacity to enhance the tensile strength of concrete has made Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete (HFRC) a subject of considerable interest. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of polypropylene and steel fibers on the strength of concrete. The variable parameters encompass varying proportions of steel and polypropylene fibers. A thorough experimental program, encompassing a total of 36 combinations, was executed with diverse HFRC mixtures. Based on past research, it is projected that fibers would perform better. One combination served as the control, while the other 35 combinations incorporated PPF in varying proportions (ranging from 0.2% to 1% of the cement’s mass) with an increment of 0.2%, along with steel fibers (ranging from 0.25% to 3% of the cement’s mass). Following this, split tensile strength tests (performed according to ASTM C 496) were carried out. Tensile testing was performed on specimens to observe the failure mode and tensile strength of the samples. The report ends by highlighting the research findings and outlining potential directions for additional study in this area. In conclusion, this study’s findings offer convincing evidence about the use of fibers in concrete.